Rating:  -
Superman is directed by Richard Donner and stars Christopher Reeve. Co-stars include Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Glenn Ford, Margot Kidder, Valerie Perrine, Phyllis Thaxter, and Marc McClure. John Williams provides the musical score.
The story of Superman begins on a distant planet called Krypton, whose civilization is far more advance than that of Earth, and its inhabitants are considerably more powerful than human beings in every respect. Following a trial on the world for some villains who plotted to take over, the planet is eradicated in a revenge strike. But during its dying moments, two Krypton residents send their newborn son to safety on Earth, where he grows up in a small town with his adoptive parents. As he grows older, he discovers the secrets of his origin. Upon moving to the city of Metropolis, where he poses as a mild-mannered and timid reporter, he puts his powers to use to keep the city safe. But as if the numerous crimes around Metropolis weren't bad enough, an evil genius has a sinister plot in mind - the hijacking of military explosives to destroy vital areas of the nation. To make things even worse, this evil genius has discovered the Man of Steel's one weakness....
Superman is a terrific film. Even thirty years later, it stands the test of time. The film's cast is well chosen, from Christopher Reeve as Superman, right down to the massive supporting cast roster. The cinematics and sets/scenes may look a little dated by today's standards, but this doesn't make the experience any less enjoyable. The music by John Williams is just what you'd expect from him, and nothing less. The film does have a few issues, such as its overlong run time and the fact that Donner makes some scenes drag on a bit longer than necessary. But shortcomings aside, Superman makes that all-important jump from comic books to the big screen very well.
This is one of those classic stories that stands the test of time. From the first comic book appearance of Superman in the thirties, to the release of this film in the late seventies, right down to the modern day, nearly thirty years after the film's release, the story is, to say the least, timeless. With a simple yet effective premise, Superman's legacy never gets old. And this film is one of the strongest examples of it.
Casting and the usage of the characters is all done very well in Superman. Christopher Reeve was born to play this role. Whether he's the Man of Steel, out protecting the world and thwarting evil schemes, or posing as a shy and timid reporter, he absolutely steals the show here. I laughed more than a few times at his whole take on the "mild-mannered" thing. His performance is one of this film's many strengths.
The supporting cast is equally good. Margot Kidder makes a terrific Lois Lane, who gradually opens up the more she gets to know Superman. The early scenes with her and a timid Clark Kent are timeless. Gene Hackman is great as the villain Lex Luthor. Obsessed with his evil plans, and disrespectful to his subordinates at all times, this is the perfect embodiment of the super comic book villain. Other nice supporting roles include Jackie Cooper as the loudmouthed, demanding boss at the Daily Planet newspaper office, and Marlon Brando as Superman's biological father, who appears to his son in visions.
The cinematics here are excellent. All of the sets built for the film are well-designed and create an excellent atmosphere. Amongst the great sets are the ones built for the planet Krypton prior to its destruction, and Lex Luthor's underground lair, which is a converted subway tunnel of sorts. The movie is well-filmed and the special effects are very good for a movie of this era. Yes, I admit that there is some dated material in plenty of shots. But as a whole this movie is well-filmed, with some great sets and cinematography.
The always-excellent, multi-talented John Williams serves up the film's musical score. Regardless of what kind of material he is working with, Williams is always able to creat film scores that suit the film at hand perfectly. With Superman he creates an uplifting, heroic score that suits the mood of the film very nicely. It's not unlike the equally-excellent one he created for Star Wars, released one year prior.
My only major issues with this film are its overlong run time and the dragged-out pace of several scenes. Donner does make a good deal of the film run for too long - the first hour is largely uneventful apart from the opening Krypton scenes. Even the opening credits drag on longer than they need to. But from there on out, it's a great film with only a few sluggish moments.
The film was reissued as a four-disc special edition on DVD. This version includes both theatrical and extended cuts, plus a plethora of other extras, including vintage Fleischer cartoons, a George Reeves Superman movie, deleted scenes, and various interviews. The four-disc version is the one to buy.
Superman is a comic book movie that stands the test of time. With a great star, supporting cast, musical score, and visuals that entertain despite their dated nature, it's a great film - and it reminds us how timeless the Superman legacy is.
Thumbs up
Rating:  -
I have seen Superman in all of its wonderful incarnations going back to the 1950's television series starring George Reeves, who for most of us back then, was the man of steel, until the year 1978. I was in high school then, but could not wait to see Superman transformed onto the "Big Screen." I later toured Universal Studios to see how they made Superman fly - an amazing effect back then using a flat table, a wind machine and some carefully and strategic flying footage along with blue screen effect. A great film to see again and again...for which to date, I have seen at least a dozen times but never tire of seeing Christopher Reeves as the great man of steel, representing all that's good in man and mankind alike.
Rating:  -
I could not see the movie. I have an HD TV and I was told by someone in a store that the movie was meant for the Box instead. I wish amazon would have told me that before purchasing it.
Rating: -
Superman: The Movie is still the best of all of them. Old or new. The incorporation of nostalgia is thick as many tag lines from yesteryear are used. I saw this movie in the theater in 1978 and the opening credits and accompanying sound just blew me away. Since then, I have always been disappointed in the compressed sound that DVD maintains. When I bought this on BD... Holy Moley! Yep, you guessed it. It was back! BD just made it's point with shaking walls that it can re-produce sound like non other. Very dynamic! PQ is above average with some grain in the opening scenes on the planet Krypton, but that ends once back on Earth. Colors are magnificent and Superman's suit is a sight to behold. Check out those cool red boots! There are a few added scenes that I have never seen before and they really helped to augment the story a bit. Super Genius Lex Luthor adds a touch of Dr. Evil as he surrounds himself with Fricken Idiots and a lot of comedy in these scenarios. This movie has it all. Its funny, serious, nostalgic and above all, a wonderful adventure!
Rating: -
Without any doubt Superman The Movie is the best superhero movie of all time(sorry Spider-Man).It exceeds in everything: great acting, direction, cinematography, plot. It has everything you can ask for a movie, action , comedy, romance, adventure.
All in all, STM went to be one of the most popular films of the 70's, and of all time. Alot of people like to critisize the fact that the SFX has not hold well over the years, and compare it to recent blocbusters like Spider-Man 3 (2-Disc Special Edition) and X-Men (Widescreen Edition). Hello? This was 1977-1978. 30 years already has passed, and people are still talking how this movie has influenced today's movies.In my opinion the film has aged well, and remains a true classic to enjoy over and over again for years to come.I highly recommend this DVD.
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